New Groups Lead to a Church OF Groups
Sometimes what keeps us from moving forward is something that just feels right (but really isn’t). For example, a commitment to old friends, even when they’re involved in behaviors that are destructive to themselves and others, just seems like the right thing to do. Sticking with friends through thick and thin. Just seems like the right thing to do.
[quote]On the other hand…we know that “bad company corrupts good behavior (1 Corinthians 15:33).” But still, there’s something in the human spirit that makes it tough to move on.
And it is complicated. It depends on the situation. It’s hard to know what to do. There’s the temptation that maybe you can help them change. And on and on. It’s complicated. But there are times that sticking with old friends really does keep a person from changing themselves.
New Groups Lead to a Church OF Groups
One of the greatest challenges in grouplife is overcoming the idea that we need to fill the groups the don’t have enough people before we start new groups. After all…the Smiths have room in their group for a few new folks, and so do the Howells and the Whites. And come to think of it, we’ve got about 8 or 9 groups that need people. We ought to be helping them fill their groups before we launch new ones! That’s one of the top 10 fantasies of church with groups.
Seems the right thing to do, doesn’t it? Just feels right.
Can I tell you something? It’s killing you. Making your old groups the priority is keeping you from becoming a church of groups. The truth is that new groups lead to a church of groups.
If you want to become a church of groups, you need to become a master of launching new groups. I’m not saying it’s easy or seems right. I’m just telling you that launching new groups makes it easier to identify new leaders, helps unconnected people feel like they fit in faster, and creates a buzz that is totally unlike simply adding new members to old groups. My article Top 5 Ways to Multiply Small Groups is a good place to start as you become a master of launching new groups.
I know it’s not easy. You will have the conversations that I do. You’ll have the phone calls I do and you’ll get the emails that I do. But you need to become convinced that your first priority is to start new groups because that is the path that leads to a church of groups.
It’s not the easiest path. In many ways it is much harder. But it really is the right thing to do.
By the way, that’s the main reason I wrote Skill Training: 10 Ways to Find New Group Members. I want to keep leaders and members of existing groups on the lookout for folks that would be a great match for their group. Because that’s the right thing for them to do.
